I like to think there are only two ways to live your life; as if nothing is a dance party, or as if every day is a dance party. Dancing in the shower is the only proper way to start a day. I guess that it would only stand to reason that my favourite part of the season is the music. I love Christmas carols! As of December first, my iPod is crammed full of Bing Crosby and Frosty the Snowman.
My absolute favourite songs are the hymns, and I think that would surprise most people. I was raised Catholic, but due to some inconsolable differences of opinions with organized religion I don’t think it is fair to still call myself one anymore.
To clarify, let’s go over a few FAQ’s.
Am I religious?
Absolutely. I think if I didn’t believe in a higher power I would drive myself crazy. There is to much grace, so much wonder and beauty in the universe as we know it to think it could all be left up to chance. The more we as a species learn about the world around us, the more awestruck I become, and all the more reasons I have to praise the higher powers that be.
Am I still a Catholic?
Nah, I can’t say that I am. I am a pro-choice, pro-legalization bisexual. The church and I will just have to agree to disagree. As I said, I was raised Catholic, and many of my beliefs stem from it. Rather, they were by Christianity in general. I attended a Christian character club at a Baptist church on Fridays as a teen. I started distancing myself from church immediately after my confirmation into the Catholic church, but it took me a long time to realize why. I wasn’t sure at the time what I was supposed to stand for or what I supported, but I knew that there was something about being in a church that felt wrong.
It was the negativity, really. Have you ever heard of Catholic guilt? Essentially, it is the mentality that each and every decision you make is a horrible one because you are a sinner and evil and wrong. Or, at least that’s what it felt like to me. Repent! Repent! Repent! I felt like I was unworthy of God’s love because I could not be perfect.
I’d rather think about God in a merciful light. Would you forgive an ant for stealing from another ant? Of course you would. The insignificant lives of such insignificant creatures means so little to you in the grand scheme of things, it would be a waste of energy to harbour ill will. If you wouldn’t forgive the ant, you’re kind of a jerk and should stop reading my blog. The ten commandments and the seven deadly sins are not stone cold requirements for His love, they are guidelines for being a decent human being and making peace with those around you. If you have kindness and forgiveness in your heart, I like to think He will too.
Do I believe in Jesus Christ?
Well yeah, in a fashion. I think like any great story, there is bound to be exaggeration. Hypothetically, could a man’s daily catch shared among a group not turn out to sound something along the lines of feeding fifty men with just one fish? I’m not sure how much of it is accurate, but I think that there was once a great man who understood God much better than you or I and made his life into spreading the word. There must be at least a mustard seed of truth in there somewhere. Really, I think that what he was spreading is a message of love and acceptance. Doesn’t that seem weird now? For as intolerant as the church can be at times, it was founded out of love and kindness.
So why hymns, you ask? Because regardless of petty squabbles or differences of opinion, we are all human. We are all brothers and sisters in that we are all God’s children. If nothing else, Christmas is a time of year to spread good will toward your fellow man. Showing your love to your family and friends is important, yes. Equally important, though, is to show love toward anyone and everyone who needs it. I don’t believe in charity. I don’t like the connotation that I’m giving a handout to someone, whether they need it or not. I like to think of it as sharing the wealth. I am fairly well off, I’m living comfortably, but there are so many people out there less fortunate.
In a lot of ways, the sharing has been of time. Not everyone has that Norman Rockwell family that they are going to get to go home to for the holidays, and in virtually all cases, it isn’t where they want to be. My heart goes out to everyone out there who isn’t on pins and needles waiting for Christmas morning. I’ve made my goal of December to instil as many people as I can with the spirit of the season, and I’d like to think its working. If one person having a blue Christmas smiles at me, I’ve had a good day. That’s why I love the hymns so much. I feel closer to my version of God, and because of that, I feel closer to everyone around me. Christmas is the time to love.
This is why I’m going to have to go on a brief hiatus for December. I should have posted this sooner, but I’ve just been so busy. I’ll be back some time in January, so hopefully I can make it up to my readers with this overexposure into my life.
